Everett Koop's Legacy

July 02, 1989

This month C. Everett Koop, the country's surgeon general for the past eight years, will leave office. His legacy is a healthier America.

Koop, a heavily bearded man who looks younger than his more than seven decades, will be remembered as a physician who bought substance to what had been a largely titular role. Although he has been outspoken on many health issues, his leadership in two particular areas stands out: tobacco and AIDS.

First, tobacco. In 1984, Koop made his now famous call for a smoke-free society by the year 2000. Many may scoff at the idea and indeed it is hard to imagine achieving the surgeon general's goal. Nevertheless, his unrelenting emphasis on the dangers of tobacco has had a profound effect on America's smoking habits.

For example, during his years in office, the percentage of smokers has decreased from 34 to 26 percent of the population. At the same time, tolerance of this nasty habit has dropped, so that there are now eight times more laws regulating the use of tobacco than existed a decade ago.

Not only have more Americans come to realize the hazards of tobacco but those who have long been aware of the dangers of smoking also have learned that inhaling the smoke of others is a substantial health threat.

In the area of AIDS, Koop mixed compassion with no-nonsense advice on sexual practices. He was responsible for the education of millions of Americans who read the AIDS brochure he wrote. Mailed to all households, it explained in simple, direct language what AIDS is, how it is transmitted and how it can be prevented.

His stance put him at odds with the Reagan administration where AIDS victims were largely ignored or judged. But Koop wasn't cowed by expressions of disapproval from administration officials put off by his graphic approach. He correctly saw AIDS as a serious public health threat, one that warranted the government's attention and its money.

On both tobacco and AIDS, Koop spoke often to the American public and he became well known and well respected - with good reason. By showing that the country's health concerns must transcend personal prejudices, he expanded the stature of the surgeon general's office. Most important, he did what good doctors do: C. Everett Koop saved lives.